o brien



I. E. O'BRIEN HOSE SUPPORTER Oct. 22, 1929.

Filed March 15, 1927 attain:

Patented a. 22, 1929 E ATENT OFFICE IDA E. OBRIEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO HOSE SUPPOBTER Application filed March 15, 1927. Serial No. 175,449.

This invention relates to improvements in hose supporters in which bifurcated hose attaching portions are connected with the lower extremities of front straps, the latter in turn being connected at their upper extremities with the opposite reduced ends of a relativelv wide central member adapted to engage and fit the small of the back of the wearer. said central portion constituting a brace which serves to strengthen and protect the back.

The front straps are connected by a transversely arranged member which serves to limit their outward movement and maintain the device in place. In the absence of this member there would be a tendency for the girdle portion to slip down below the hips of the wearer. My improved device thus serves the double function of a hose supporter and a protector for the portion of the back most susceptible to weakness under conditions having a tendency to produce exhaustion. Unless a person wears a corset. brassiere or some similar garment extending entirely around the body and engaging the abdomen,

there is no hose supporter, so far as I am aware, that engages, supports and braces the back of the wearer in the manner of my improvement.

In none of the girdle hose supporters with which I am familiar, is there any special provis on made for bracing and protecting the back. In fact this feature in all prior supporters seems to have been completely ignored. Since the use of the ordinary corset been largely discontinued or abandoned. the necessity for a hose supporter with a b ck bracing member has existed.

Wh le the old style corset and the present sty e brassiere carry the hose attaching straps 4 and devices. they are cumbersome, expensive,

uncomfortable and injurious to health.

Having outlined the obiects and stressed the importance of my improvement in a general wa as I understand it from the actual u e of the device by myself and others. I will proceed to describe the same in detail. reference being made to the accompanying drawinn, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a front view of my hose supporter in position for use, the body of the wearer being shown in dotted outline;

Figure 2 is a side view of the same;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view on a larger scale and with parts broken away. This is a view of the article from the inside or the surface which engages the body; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44, Figure 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows, on a larger scale.

In these views the numeral 5 designates the relatively wide centrally located back portion of the device, 6 the front straps extending downwardly therefrom, 7 and 8 bifurcated portions having the ordinary devices 9 adapted for attachment directly to the hose, and the ordinary suspender clasps 10 for ad'- justing the lengths of the parts 7 and 8, each of which is readily slidable in a metal loop ll with which the hose supporting attachments are connected. Each of the straps 6 is preferably provided with a clasp 12 of the same character as the clasps 10, each strap 6 slipping readily through a transversely arranged metal loop 13 (see Fig. 4), located at the junction of each pair of parts 7 and 8:

The straps 6, as well as the two pairs of parts 7 and 8, are connected by a transversely arranged member 14 of which the parts 7 may be continuations as shown. With this specitic structure, the metal loops 13 may be attached to the upper extremities of the parts 8 and the extremities of the part 14 may be secured to the parts 8 just below the loops 13. The details of these features, however, are entirely immaterial so long as the general structural features are maintained.

The upper portions of the straps 6 are reinforced and widened by short elastic parts 15, which are secured to 6 at 16, the parts 6 and 15 being both secured to the extremities of the member 5 as shown at 17 The widened elastic features at both extremities of the part 5 are important since they engage the hips and conceal and reduce the fatty tissues which have a tendency to protrude, particularly in persons who have a corpulent tendencv.

The member 5 is preferably formed of two thicknesses of material between which are 10o use..

located and secured stays 18, which may be composed of whalebone, steel, or any other suitable or adaptable material.

This member 5. in a ldition to its strengthening and bracing characteristics, provides the necessary warmth at all times and prevents the too sudden cooling of the body after exercise. This member 5 also serves to hold the device securely in place and hence makes it practicable to locate the transverse member 14 in the g. sition shown in the ing below the abdomen of the wearer. If the girdle were narrow in the back, there would be a tendency for the strap 6 to slip downwardly over the hips due to the low position of the lower ends of the straps and consequently the low position of the transverse member l, particularly during the wearing of the device or when in regular The member 5, due to the fact that it closely fits the small of the back, will not move out of: place when properly put in position, as shown in the drawing and consequently the straps 6 cannot move out of place, hence there is special cooperation between the'transverse member 14 in its low position and the wide close fitting back piece.

The parts 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 are preferably elastic and as shown in the drawing (see Fig. 3) are each composed of a concealed elastic member A having a nonelastic outer covering'B on one side and=a narrow inner nonelastic covering C on-the other side. The part B" which is outermost when the article is worn, may be composed of silk and made as ornamental as desired- The elastic part is freev to slide within the nonelastic portions, the latter being puckered and sufficientl full to permit the elongation and contraction of which elastic members are ordinarily susceptible.

The member 5 may be composed of elastic material if desired, though asshown in the drawing it is supposed to be nonelastic.

Having thus described my invention what I. claim as new is:

1. A hose supporter comprising a relative- 1y, wide centrally located member adapted to fit the small of the back, said member tapering in opposite directions from its central portion to .thehips of the wearer, front straps extending downwardly from the hip portions, bifurcated parts connected with the lower extremities of said straps for hose attaching purposes, and a transverse member connecting .the front straps, each of the latter being provided with length adjusting means locatedabove the transverse member.

2. A hose supporter comprising a wide central member adapted to engage andfit the back of the wearer, front straps extending downwardly from the extremities of the central member and or" less width than the latter, the said straps approaching each other as they extend downwardly and being spaced apart at their lower ends, bifurcated hose attaching parts at the lower extremities of said straps, and a transverse member connecting the saidl straps, each of the latter .ig means for adjusting their length located above the transverse member.

3. A hose supporting girdle comprising a wide central member adapted to lit the small of the back when in use, the said member extending laterally in both directions from its central part, straps extending downwardly and toward each other from the opposite e2:- tremities of the central member, the said straps being of less width than the central member, and spaced apart at their lower ends, and a transversely arranged elastic member connecting the said straps, each of the latter having adjusting devices located above the transverse member. and hose attaching devices extending below the transverse member.

4. A hose supporting girdle having a central back bracing member provided with stiffening stays, straps extending downwardly from the extremities of said member and located in front for hose supporting purpoi s, and a transverse member connecting the said straps, each of the latter having adjusting means located above the transverse member.

5. A hose supporting girdle comprising a wide central member adaptedto closely {it the small of the back of the wearer when in use, the said member extending laterally in both directions from its central part, straps extending downwardly, and toward each other from the opposite extremities of the central member, the said straps being of less width than the said member, and a transversely arranged member connecting the said straps and adapted to occupy a position below the abdomen of the wearer and out of contact therewith the straps extending downwardly a sutiicient distance for the purpose.

6. A hose supporting girdle comprising a central member adapted to engage the back of the wearer when in use, the said member extending laterally in both directions from its central part, straps extending downward ly and toward each other from the extremities of the central member, and a transversely arranged member connecting the said straps and adapted to occupy a position below the abdomen of the wearer and out of contact therewith, the straps extending downwardly a suihcient distance for the purpose.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

IDA E. oBmEN. 

